formerly Diane's Addled Ramblings... the ramblings are still addled, just like before, and the URL is still the same...
it's just the title at the top of the page that's new

Monday, January 19, 2009

Eyes Wide Open...

Last week I told you about a boy… a boy who changed my life... a boy who taught me how important it is to look past our external differences to find our inherent commonalities… a boy I loved.

Today I’m going to tell you about a book… a book which changed my life… a book which set out to show people how important it is to look past our external differences to find our inherent commonalities… a book I love.

The book, Open My Eyes, Open My Soul, was released late in 2004 as a tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., and it hit the bookstores just before his birthday in 2005. His daughter, Yolanda King (who, sadly, died last year), was the driving force behind the project. Along with Elodia Tate, she collected a series of essays about diversity and human connection from amazing people like Maya Angelou, Robert Kennedy, Jr., and Stevie Wonder… and from average, every day people… like me.

I submitted an essay about that beautiful boy who changed my life. Unfortunately, I just missed the submittal deadline and though I knew getting in was a long shot anyway, I was disappointed to realize my essay wouldn’t even be considered. My disappointment didn’t last, however. A few weeks after submitting the piece, I received an email from Yolanda King, telling me how much she liked it and how she was going to find a place for it in the book.

And she did.

It was the proudest moment of my life. The book is beautiful. It’s important. It’s so relevant and so necessary in today’s climate of global intolerance. It is a tribute to a great man and to everyone who has ever crossed a racial or religious or cultural barrier; to everyone who has looked beyond external differences to find – and embrace – our inherent commonalities.

It’s not as easy to find the book now as it was in 2005 but if you can, it’s worth a read… in fact, it’s worth reading over and over. It can open your eyes… and your heart and your mind… and your soul… if you let it.

23 comments:

blognut said...

I've been meaning to get this book. We had a copy of it in the DV shelter where I volunteer, but it got all torn apart. I read parts of it and vowed to get it, and now I will!

A Woman Of No Importance said...

~Wow, Diane! Global tolerance is dear to my heart, and to have received such an acknowledgement of your power and talent from Yolanda King, well, I am so proud of you, too! x I shall be looking out for that book...

Amy McMean said...

WOW Good for you. Sounds like a very awesome thing to be a part of.

Ronda's Rants said...

Yeah...good for you! He was a great man and taken much too soon!
How exciting to have Obama take office tomorrow...It is a beautiful world...it's just hard sometimes to see it!
Again, good for you!

Zuzana said...

I did not know that you already had your writing published; that is incredible, but so not surprising.
And this book seems to be concerning issues that you feel very strongly about.
Your passion and your talent is one of a kind, Diane.;)

Heather said...

I'll have to hunt this one down. Then, I'll bring it with me in March and get you to sign it. Could be worth something someday. :)

Michelle said...

Are you kidding me?? Your writing is in this amazing book???? I am so so so proud of you Diane!!! I will hunt this book down and purchase it proud to know you are in there!!!

WOW!!! I am so happy to know you!!!

I love you!!!

Live More Now said...

That is soooo so so so so cool. Nice job. I will go try to find that book right now!! Thanks for the link and for the write-up on it - it sounds FANTASTIC.

Missy said...

Wow, this is great! I am now on a book hunt!

Melanie Gillispie said...

You know what? You never signed mine I don't think. So, when you're down here, get it off my bookshelf and sign it. Got it?? Somewhere I have the little newspaper interview/picture thing about it too. I saw it a while ago, but I'm not sure where it is now.

Pearl said...

WOW! I'm -- well, I'm speechless! I'm so pleased right now it's just silly...

Pearl

Terri said...

Fantastic! Congratulations. I'll be looking for that book.

hebba said...

WOW! That is so cool that you're essay is in this book. I'm definitely putting it on my list to get, once I get rid of enough stuff to justify buying more books!

J Cosmo Newbery said...

A belated congratulations then. Will keep an eye out for the book.

Lee said...

Amazon have one second hand copy but they wont ship to Australia. Sniff.

Unknown said...

When I find it, I'm going to need your autograph. You should be very proud. I know I'm proud of you :)

Lawyer Mom said...

Congratulations. There used to be a site called half.com that had hard-to-find books. Will check it now. Great story.

Petra a.k.a The Wise (*Young*) Mommy said...

That is so incredibly cool and you bet your beautiful ass I am getting a copy!

Sherri Murphy said...

I must find this book!

Sherri Murphy said...

Speaking of "published authors", my post, "THAT DAMBANNA" won the parenting blog humor post of the week! (I know at least 13 different people read it because they left a comment).

So don't be gettin' all cocky on me now, I'm kinda' a published author myself. ;)


Really, I am very proud of you!

Coachdad said...

What a great review and timely. I love fiction and non-fiction alike and will add this to my vast collection. Thank you for visiting my site. You have great taste in web design!

CJ said...

I immediately got on my library's web site and found there are copies of this book in other branches of the countywide library. I ordered the book and it should be ready for pickup by next week.

Sometimes Sophia said...

Congratulations... An amazing honor (and tribute to who you are) that your story was included in this book. Will have to look for it.